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### Populating a workspace

The operation performed at this stage aims to load into the Comsof Fiber workspace GIS features that will serve as input for the next phases of network design development. These are the typical GIS features present in the area and form the starting point for designing a network: streets, buildings and houses, available infrastructure, pipes, cables, etcetera.

#### Input source

The input source for populating the workspace is the Network Manager Telecom database. The table from which to extract the GIS input and the details of how it is to be converted into Comsof Fiber-specific features are defined in a mapping. Several of these mappings can be configured via the Settings > Advanced page of the Configuration module of Network Manager Telecom. Selecting a mapping is one of the options to be set when creating the workspace.

#### Outcome

During this operation, the features from the designated database table are mapped to Comsof Fiber features with their associated required attributes. Which feature categories are created depends of course on the contents of the database table, but the ones commonly used for further processing are:

- IN_CentralOffice

- IN_DemandPoints

- IN_StreetCenterLines

- IN_AccessStructures

- IN_ExistingPipes

- IN_ExistingCables

- IN_Poles

- IN_AerialConnections

- IN_AerialDropConnections

- ...

These data are stored in the input.gpkg file with some additional data being stored in the file CalculationInput.gpkg. These features are essential to the execution of the next step, the pre-processing of the workspace.

### Executing the operation

To populate a workspace:

1. Select the workspace via the Search bar or by clicking its polygon on the map.

   The Workspace panel opens in the Details tab sheet.

2. Click Open at the bottom of the panel.

   The Workspace dialog opens.

3. Tick the Populate check box.

4. Click Run at the bottom of the dialog.

   The operation is submitted for execution.

   If the operation successfully completed:

   - The progress bar turns green with a little green check mark to the right of it.

   - If you have enabled the Show running process option, the information field turns green and marks "`Operations complete`".

   - The Last operation label at the top of the dialog displays "`populate`".

   - A green check mark also appears next to the name of the operation along with a hyperlink to the Log data.

   - The Pre-process check box is automatically ticked.

   - On the map the Comsof Fiber features are displayed.

   If the operation could not be completed successfully:

   - The progress bar stops at the point where the error occurred and turns red with a red cross-shaped sign to the right of it.

   - The Last operation label at the top of the dialog is not updated but continues to show the last operation that was performed successfully.

   - If you have enabled the Show running process option, the information field turns red and displays the reason for the error.

### Visualization of the features on the map

Once the workspace has been successfully populated, the features become visible on the map.

To have the different categories of feature displayed on the screen, you must make sure that the Workspace IN and its sub-categories have been added to the Layers tab sheet and the appropriate check boxes have been ticked.

The features that have been added become visible in the selected workspace.

Figure: Comsof Fiber features displayed on map after Populate operation

The styling used for rendering the different categories of features can be customized via the Features tab in the Configuration module of Network Manager Telecom.